#nepalflood2026 Interview and Update w/ Rajiv KC (PART 2)

Gary Kusunoki interviews Rajiv KC about the devastating earthquake in Nepal, the ongoing rescue efforts, and how communities are responding to the disaster. They discuss the current challenges, the importance of prayer, and how listeners can help through donations and support.

You can help us in our critical relief efforts directly here: 
https://bit.ly/2026NepalDisasterRelief
Your Donations will be used to help with the reconstruction and rebuilding process in Nepal, as well as the countless families that have lost their loved ones. Thank you and God Bless!

KEY TOPICS:

Nepal earthquake impact and response
Rescue operations and challenges in Nepal
The role of community and faith in disaster recovery
How to support Nepal through donations and prayer
Current needs and future risks in disaster-affected areas


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Transcript

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SPEAKER_01 0:01

Coming up on a special god story. The family has already done the uh Buddhist ritual. I mean like they they have accepted that uh he will not be found. So um and that that brother uh in Christ um so so so still he's uh you know uh we haven't found him so it's kinda like you know the hope is getting less and uh still it's a hard thing for uh for his family.

SPEAKER_03 0:31

Yeah that that story was repeated over and over again in in you know pretty much every home in the nation. We wanted to bring you up to date on what is going on in Nepal and the work that that is being done over there. The the numbers that we're reading are still staggering. Uh right now, as of today, it was 1,454 dead and 5,285 people still unaccounted for. And you know, the number keeps rising both on both levels because it's just so hard. We've had have whole areas or or you know, some of the hydroelectric plants that were just totally wiped out, and so trying to figure out who was there and how many people were there, and I mean it's just uh I can't even imagine an overwhelming task for for for the government there. But um, I have uh Rajiv KC with us and our country director. And before Raziv shares, I just wanted to share a verse with you that's really special to all of us that are working there in Nepal. And it's Psalm 121. And it says, I will lift up my eyes to the hills from whence comes my help. My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved, he who keeps you will not slumber. And then in verse 5 it says, The Lord is your keeper, the Lord is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve you from all evil, he shall preserve your soul. The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore. You know, this this has significant meaning to us. First of all, um just because we have a coffee shop and it's called one-to-one coffee, and on the wall of the coffee shop is is this psalm, Psalm 121. And, you know, I think about the flood and the impact that that this flood came from the mountains. You know, it came from the mountains of of Tibet and just flooding down upon upon Nepal. And, you know, these massive structures that I'm sure they they felt were were going to keep them from all harm, and they were they were just wiped out. And you know, just the encouragement that we have as Christians that that our help comes from God, from from way above the hills here on this earth, from the one who made heaven and earth, and that he is going to take care of us. And it's also important because um, as you're gonna hear from Rajiv, he and the team are going up into the mountains and and um and the way is very dangerous. So, you know, we want him to be their keeper, and we want him to to watch over them and to preserve their their going out and their coming in. And and so um I pray that for all of us that are listening that it would be an encouragement to us. But Rajiv, welcome to the program again. And um so I thought I would we could start off with you sharing um about maybe your last trip up into the disaster zone, the things you saw, and also what you're hearing from from the churches that we're working with there.

SPEAKER_01 4:39

Thank you, Pastor Gay, for for inviting on this podcast. And uh the last trip that uh we went together, you know, uh with Calva Chapel Kathmandu. Um personally if I speak of myself, uh those were the roads, those were the uh places that I was familiar with beautiful uh cities and roads and all the natures and those you know and uh when I went there it was I had a very hard time to figure it out where was the war uh road, where where was the cities, and it was just so much destructed that uh it was personally it was very hard and hard to find the old you know structure. Um and with that saying that uh we had an opportunity to help with the 46 um families over there and uh who were whose houses were uh uh striped away and uh we we heard to we we were uh glad to hear that no one was dead and on that area, but their houses were striped away and uh they had a very hard time with the leading and uh you know eating and all this kind of stuff. But uh we we kind of like uh you know had a coordination with a couple of local churches, you know, above uh the place where we went and uh which is you know really difficult to go uh when it's still raining, as it's not raining right now, but it was raining at the time and it was very hard to go over there. But uh uh we are kind of like uh coordinating with the local pastors over there, and you know they're they're asking for help and it's opportunity for us to you know come alongside with them and uh and and help the people who are in need.

SPEAKER_03 6:53

I just think that this is our opportunity, you know, in in um first John that says, Whoever has the world's goods and beholds his brother in need and closes his arm to his brother, where's the love of Christ in him? And that, you know, the the exhortation, really the command uh that John gave is not not just a loving word, but to loving word indeed. And so it this is an opportunity that we have to go and demonstrate the love of Christ for them to see you know a sermon, so to speak, in our lives, by watching our lives, by you know, and you know, it when we're also told do good to all the people, especially to those of the household of faith. And so we're coming along the household of faith, right? We're coming along the believers there alongside of them, and and we're helping them to minister to not just to their own people, but to others, right? And and I know, Raziv, that this has impacted you personally, and um I know that that you have a relative and also a good friend of yours that that's missing uh or was missing. So what's the status of of those two?

SPEAKER_01 8:19

Uh so uh my one of my relative um so uh if the family has already done the uh Buddhist ritual, uh and like they they have accepted that uh he will not be found. So um and um that that brother uh in Christ um so so so still he's uh you know uh we haven't found him, so it's kinda like you know the hope is getting less and uh still it's a hard time for uh for his family.

SPEAKER_03 8:56

Yeah. And that that story is repeated over and over again and and you know, pretty much every home in the nation. Um so you know, it it's been over a little over a month now and the way that that our minds in a in the Western world works is oh 30 days, everything should be taken care of by now. But is that the situation?

SPEAKER_01 9:31

It's it's uh it's gonna take a long time to be restored, to be honest. Um because it's not it's not only flood that destructed, it's the ongoing landslides, ongoing, you know, uh road damages, you know, in different places. Uh just recently now in the other side of in in different side of Nepal, like in Mustang, Nomanang areas, even like uh uh the place where we used to live, the near Tetra area, there's a landslide. So, you know, and and it's not only one place that government has to take care of it, that are different places and and and for sure the the the destruction in Roswa, in Nuaku, is so big that it's gonna take a long time. So um, you know, 30 days, I mean like that's that's something you know has already crossed and it's gonna take a long time.

SPEAKER_03 10:30

I mean, some of these areas they're they've been able to get into the government with helicopters, but but by road, it it's taken a long time to access these areas, right?

SPEAKER_01 10:43

Yeah, uh some of my friends uh that uh that uh went through those road roads, they were saying that they're kind of like a the government is trying to open some of the roads. And uh, but before that, uh and it's still right now it's really, really difficult. Once it rains, you can see even like in the videos, you know, there's only one way, there's so muddy, and the landslide is keep coming, and you just get stuck. And one if one truck is stuck, then it is stuck for hours and hours. So and uh just to get over there is not an easy access. It's still difficult. The government government is trying to open up more wards, uh, but it's still taking long because there is still landslides going here and there, and uh there's mud still, and you know, uh just it's been only two days that rain has stopped.

SPEAKER_03 11:38

So and and is more more rain expected?

SPEAKER_01 11:45

Yeah, um rain is expected, but it seems like it's you know the the the weather is good. I mean like it's really sunny. So praise the Lord.

SPEAKER_03 11:58

Yes, absolutely. Yeah. So you you recently took a trip up to the disaster zone. Uh you went with Calvary Chapel, Kathmandu, because we are working, you know, in partnership with them. And so tell us what was that was like getting up there and what you you um what you did and what our plans are in the future.

SPEAKER_01 12:34

So we went uh uh all all our uh Gelbert Chapel company leaders who went together and uh there was uh uh a Pashtal who was uh coordinating uh uh two distributed relief for 46 houses. So going up to that place is it was easy to be honest, uh, because we went uh up to the place where uh the flooded last. I mean, like uh you know where the flood ends. I mean um those areas uh and uh we just went to the safe area uh and uh where are easy to access. To get over there was easy to you know easy access. Um but from there it was hard. From there you have to uh you know um you know take it was it was closed at that time when we went there, so you have to take a different route to go in a different places. But when we went there, um we had a small you know walk of uh to uh you know nearby places and it was so so um sad to see that uh you know uh all of the houses were gone and uh the bridges that was like tall, big, and all the so solar plant was washed over in that area. And uh, you know, it I can I can imagine because there were so big, big rocks all the way from you know top, and the rocks were like talking about like buildings, you know. And uh and uh even like of the bus which was on the road, it was kind of pushed away uh you know a little bit further on the top. So so we were able to go and see the places and hear the you know the uh the painful stories of the people and uh we were you know able to you know distribute some propane and uh uh kitchen use utensils and uh gas stuff that they need to leave for time being. So it was an opportunity just to go over there. But in the future we are moving forward to more difficult places where it's difficult to reach. More um the road accesses is still really, really bad. And it's kind of like uh uh the border of Roswa and Nuakur, also. So we are trying to reach a hundred plus families over there in two different places, Tupse and uh Shizananaga. So those are the places we want to go. Uh we have uh uh coordination with the local uh pastors that is helping out the community. Uh so so yeah, we're just praying that there won't be any rain and uh we we get the proper uh you know uh road access also uh that we get the stuff that we need to you know uh give to those people.

SPEAKER_03 15:52

Well um I'm hoping we'll we'll have um video up as we share this um this broadcast of of some of the video that you took in it it's so hard for people to to really fathom that when they see these you know it looks like a just a a giant riverbed, you know, um where where that was a river, there's nothing else. And and to think that there used to be buildings and houses and and you know, not small either, and and they're just gone. Like somebody took a bulldozer and just just you know went right down to the earth. And you know, I I think of I was in Sri Lanka after the 2004 uh earthquake at a 9.3, I think, earthquake in the Indian Ocean, and then a tsunami that hit Sri Lanka. And you know, I remember walking on the beach and you know, this big, just a big wide beach. And I was talking to a guy, and he was saying, Yeah, my whole family lived in this village, and and they're just gone. And so I asked him, you know, as we're walking along the sand, I said, Where where was your village? And he said, You're standing on it. And so, you know, I uh it's really hard unless you have before and after pictures to really fathom the damage, and and even you know, the the job the government has, because I I imagine some of the missing will never find. Um they're just buried under, you know, tons and you know feet, you know, um uh of of debris and mud. And so uh it's just overwhelming. So the Raswa area, that's the border with Tibet, correct? Um and that's where where we saw the first pictures of the floods coming in over the the border checkpoint there, and um so as you've talked to the pastors, what are they saying? What do they need? What are we planning to take up there?

SPEAKER_01 18:10

So there is still some need of a propane. Uh I mean like a propane gas is in general is kind of like a hard to get, you know, even for us in Kathmandu it's a hard to get. Um so uh we are trying to, you know, uh there's one pastor who's helping out to bring the propane gas. So there are still people who have stuff and uh kitchen utensils but doesn't have uh propane gas. So so propane, so that is what we want to deliver. And the filter water is still, you know, uh not in a safe to drink, and uh they have access for filter also. And uh there's some sanitary stuff that we are in need of. Some some houses are also in need of cancer stove. So, you know, in different places it's different needs, and there are there are a lot of needs still. Uh we are getting some requests from the schools and from other families about the beds, you know, and also uh uh one of the friends said that we are kind of like a partnering that he's also saying that there are some, you know, they are they have everything, but doesn't have a place to stay, that doesn't have relatives to go. Uh, you know, so they're they are kind of like uh also making for long-term, you know, at least for five years, uh small houses uh from the seeds. So they are also requesting that. So we're just praying and awaiting and uh and and and and soon we are you know next uh uh week we are just starting our uh uh you know live work in those areas.

unknown 19:46

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 19:47

Well, we will be praying for for safe travels and journey mercies as you move up into that area and and just for you know the Lord just to mightily equip you to to be able to just um show the love of Jesus Christ to the to the people there that have gone through so much. And and I we would just ask all of you that are watching and listening to please be praying. You know, pray for the people of Nepal, pray for their their the that God would comfort their hearts, that they would would just have that opportunity to um just say to maybe to our our team just to experience Christ's love for them. And also um, you know, I want to thank those that have already given. And um thank you so much. There there is still need, so there's still opportunity to give. We're gonna be doing this for months, right?

SPEAKER_01 20:51

Yes, we we are planning to do it for long term, if you know uh if there is their need that we can reach, you know. And it's not only like a you know, it's not only that we want to do relief for short and long term, at the mean at the midst of you know all these things, you know, we also want to equip the local churches if they you know um you know ask uh uh help uh in the future to equip and friends. So it's kind of like a you know uh equipping a you know our brother and sister at the same time, you know, uh helping them in midst of this uh just right.

SPEAKER_03 21:33

And we actually have a team that we're planning in uh at the the last week of January, first week of February. And so um you can can check our blog www.anchoredrelief.blog, and if you subscribe to that, you will you'll get the the updates and notifications on the upcoming team for January. You know, we're We're looking for for servants, you know, those that are willing to come and just show Christ's love to the people there. And you know, um, I would imagine we're gonna be still in in this um mode of of bringing relief and aid and and and trying to redevelop the area like we did during the earthquakes. And so so please, you know, pray. We're if we're looking for doctors and nurses and and um matter of fact, on on Saturday that we're having a luncheon for um medical people. It's called a prescription for healing in San Juan Capistrano, and and so you know, to to invite medical personnel to come with us and to go to Nepal, to go to Uganda, to go to Mexico, and and to really be able to show Christ's love in a very unique way. And so stay tuned. Um, we'll get more reports from Rajiv as he heads up in into that mountain area and you know goes deeper into the disaster zone and uh watch our blog, watch our Instagram at Anchored Relief is our Instagram and Facebook and um you know, and then just watch our website, www.anchoredrelief.org. And if you want it to give, you can use that um anchoredrelief.org website and click on the donate tab, and then you can click on Nepal. And if you want to give to the work here, and but you know, I'd say the biggest need we have is prayer. And you know, prayer for for the people, prayer for our staff, prayer for their safety, as we said, praying that the rains will stop, and that the you know, it's not just disaster zone, like Rajiv said. I got a notification a couple days ago that said um all the Catmen do is almost completely cut off. And because all the roads um were blocked either from flooding or landslides, and and so you know, you have the capital city that you know if if they get isolated like that, they they won't have supplies. Um, they're not gonna have fuel, they're not gonna have food, they're not gonna have have the things that they need that come from from India already, that the goods that used to come from China, those are cut off for the most part. And so um, you know, be praying that that God would open the door. And so um matter of fact, Rajiv, as as we close in in prayer, and um why don't you just pray for the families that have lost loved ones, for the churches, and for the work that that God's given us to do.

SPEAKER_02 25:14

Father God, thank you once again this opportunity for us to just talk about the things that is going around in the public Lord.

SPEAKER_01 25:26

Um really still over a month and still there's so much faith uh in the nation, Lord, especially for those who have lost their loved ones and uh in the midst of this uh uh big festival of Nepal where family comes together and enjoy time together. It can be really hard, Lord. I can just imagine that uh it must be hard for those people who have already lost their family members, Lord, and and for also those who has still not finding the the bodies, Lord, who are missing, Lord, and I just pray that you would give the peace and also that the church would be light and church would be light and salt in the midst of this time, Lord. And uh just be immediate to give peace in Jesus, Lord, and and Lord, thank you for this opportunity that we are able to do Lord and just to go and visit people, meet people, care and see things, and above all, you know, all these things we just look onto you, Jesus where our help comes from, God, and you are the creator, you are the master of everything, and we just bow down to you and and look up to you, Lord, for the wisdom and for the strength and uh for everything that we do, and just you be glorifying and through us, Lord. Thank you for this time, Jesus' name. Amen.

SPEAKER_03 27:07

Amen. Okay, Raziv. Well, God bless you, and we will look forward to another update from you too.

SPEAKER_00 27:15

Thank you so much. Thank you so much for joining us for this special edition of God's stories. We ask that you continue to keep the country of Nepal in your prayers, as well as the native folks of Nepal, as well as our missionary serving there. If you would like to financially contribute to the relief efforts of Nepal, go to our website at anchoredrelief.org and please follow us on our blog at anchoredrelief.blog, as well as our Instagram and YouTube channels, to receive the latest updates on what's going on in Nepal.